Finding Home
by LoveLifeSong
Summary: Life is always hard, no matter what you do there are always bumps in the road. When you throw love into the mix it tends to get even more hard. Damon Salvatore grew up thinking he was a worthless waste of space, that is until he met Elena Gilbert. When the world is against you, it is up to you to fight for what you believe if right and find your home. AU/AH
1. Preface

***Hello! Welcome to my new story, Finding Home. I am so excited to share this story with everyone! I hope you will all enjoy it! It is an AU/AH story, and there will be an HEA. You just have to stick with me! Feel free to leave a review or send me a message! I love hearing from my readers! I am always welcome to new idea! In the past I have had bad timing when it comes to updating, so I am creating Finding Fridays. So, every Friday there will be a new chapter for this story! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy! I do not own Vampire Diaries.***

* * *

 _ **PREFACE-**_

"Please, Elena, you need to listen to me. I had nothing to do with it. It wasn't me you saw. PLEASE, Elena!" Damon cried as he followed Elena out of the Lockwood's home. The rain fell at a steady pace, as if the heavens were crying for Damon and Elena.

"No, Damon! I have given you chance after chance, and this is what I am rewarded with! I knew your past, Hell, I knew your past with… _HER_ , and I trusted you! Despite with ANYONE and EVERYONE told me, I gave you the benefit of the doubt, and you threw it in the trash. Do you know the fool you made me look like!? I have loved you for months, Damon. MONTHS. I thought you loved me too. I guess I was wrong." She turned from him and started walking to her car. Tears flowing from Damon's eyes, he reached out and grabbed her by the arm.

"Please! You are my life Elena. I love YOU. Not HER! Please believe me! You are my home, Elena." He cried.

"Not anymore." She said flatly, but if you listen close enough, you could hear her heart breaking into hundreds of pieces. She ripped her arm from Damon's grasp and got into her car, driving into the night. Leaving Damon looking like a puddle on the ground, as he watched his heart drive away without him.

* * *

 ***That's that! I know its short, and trust me, the other chapters are much larger. This is just to be a taste of what it to come. I know this look is sad, and it was hard to write a break up. But, I PROMISE you, you will enjoy this! Just stick with me! I am BEYOND excited for this story! Leave me a review! Let me know if you are just as excited as me!** **I may reward you with some chapters early. I put the deadline in place so that I PROMISE a chapter will be up once a week. Yet, I am so excited about this, I just may put many up in one week! We will see! Tata for now. Xoxo.***


	2. Chapter 1

***Alright, I was so happy to see people reading this! I am truly excited for this! So, I am not gonna write much here accept, THANK YOU for reading! So, here we go! Again, I do not own Vampire Diaries***

* * *

 _ **8 MONTHS BEFORE….**_

The alarm blared loudly that Monday morning. Elena reached over and turned it off with one hit of her finger. She yawned loudly, and sat up in her bed. She stretched her arms over her head, letting out an exasperated sigh as she flopped back onto the bed. Today was the first day of school in Mystic Falls Virginia, meaning it was Elena's first day as the new English teacher at the high school. She sighed again, throwing her legs over the side of her bed, she stood up and walked to her bathroom, ridding herself of her night clothes she stepped into the shower and let the warm water wake her up.

Elena Gilbert had been the top of her class back when she went to Mystic Falls High School. It wasn't a surprise to anyone when she received a full ride to the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She was a pretty active teenager, she was crowned Ms. Mystic Falls, she was Prom Queen, and she was the Valedictorian. Even at UVA she was the top her class at the Curry School of Education, graduating with the highest of honors, and finished her masters in just four years. She had everything going for her, companies were asking for her by name, so it came as quite a shock to her family when she called up her Aunt Jenna one day asking if she could move back in. Of course Jenna agreed, but there was something that Elena wasn't telling people. While Elena did amazingly well in school, she missed her family and friends. Bonnie had gone off to JMU to study biology, and Caroline moved to NYU to study fashion and interior design. It seemed as though everyone was happy, when in reality they were all unhappy.

After all three graduated they all ended up back in Mystic Falls. Elena's Aunt Jenna was married to her old history teacher, Alaric. So, when she moved back home he was able to pull some strings and the open English teacher's job was offered to her. She was so over joyed she almost fainted with excitement. Bonnie was also offered the job to be the new Biology teacher, while Caroline opened her own interior design business. The three were together again, and could not be happier.

Elena finished her shower, got dressed in a simple yellow sun dress and headed down stair, grabbing herself a cup of coffee while getting some out for her Aunt Jenna and Ric.

"I really hate that you are a morning person." Her aunt groaned as she leaned against the kitchen counter. "Like… Why can't you be normal?" She smiled. Jenna had moved into their house when Elena was 16 and her brother Jeremy was 15. Their parents died in a car accident, and left Jenna custody of them. Jenna had always acted as more of a friend of theirs and not a parental figure, so when Elena got older, their relationship only grew into a stronger bond.

"Well, I am just excited, Jenna. Today is my first day as an English Teacher, and I think I have every right to be excited!" She cheered as she set her coffee mug down.

"And she does have that right. You may be cute in the morning, but you can't just go around bursting excitement bubbles." Ric laughed as he came down the stairs. Alaric moved to Mystic Falls when Elena was a junior in high school, it was the year after the accident and he felt he should look out for her, not realizing that he would fall in love at the same time. He and Jenna married shortly after Elena's graduation from high school.

"Fine, have a great first day, Elena. I mean that." She walked around and gave Elena a hug, "Tonight we will celebrate!" She smiled. "Ric, please look out for her today. Make sure no one harasses her." She laughed. "I am gonna head back up to bed, ah, the perks of being a house wife. I can sleep in." She walked past Ric, giving him a soft kiss on the lips, then retreated back to her room.

"Are you nervous?" Ric sipped his coffee, while looking at Elena.

"Kind of. I think the excitement is out weighing the nervousness though. I just hope the kids have grown up since I was in high school." She laughed, gathering her things in her purse. "Anyway, I am heading out early. Caroline wanted to get breakfast with me and Bonnie. So, I guess I will see you later!" She waved as she walked out the door.

"Bye!" He shouted after her, then headed back upstairs to get ready himself.

* * *

"ELENA! OVER HERE!" The blonde shouted from the corner seats of the coffee shop in downtown. Elena sighed with a smile and walked over to her.

"Please, Caroline, not so loud, I am pretty sure they heard you all the way over in D.C." She laughed and hugged her friend. "Is Bonnie here yet?" She sat across from her best friend.

"No, she said she had some meeting with the head of the science department, whatever that means. I don't see why she couldn't have told them no, since we have had these plans for a week now." Caroline scoffed. Elena had to try her hardest not to laugh. She knew her best friend meant well, but sometimes she can be a bit over the top.

"Caroline, I am sure it was important, otherwise she wouldn't have gone. You know Bonnie, she is fiercely loyal. And right now her job is what comes first. Thankfully my first meeting is not until after school, so I can sit here with you for" She looked at her watch "Another twenty minutes." She smiled.

"Fine then. I am sure that Jenna has told you that we are celebrating tonight?" She asked as she sipped her tea.

"Well, she said that I was celebrating, she didn't say who with." Elena narrowed her eyes at her best friend, knowing that she had a trick up her sleeve.

"Yes, well. We are gonna go to the Grill for drinks! I know it doesn't sound that exciting, but aside from me, you, Bonnie, Jenna and Ric being there. Tyler, Matt, Rebekah, and Stefan will be there too!" She clapped.

"That's great! I haven't seen some of them since I graduated! It will be great to see them again!" She smiled. The girls spent the rest of their time talking about Caroline's job, and what she has been doing since being back. It was the perfect start to the perfect day.

* * *

Elena and Bonnie walked into the Grill after their long first day of work, to be greeted with the faces of their friends. Smiles filled the room, and drinks were passed around. Elena spent her time standing in a corner with all of her friends catching up on time that had flown past them.

Elena walked up to the bar and ordered herself another drink. "My…my…my… Little Elena Gilbert. Who would have thought that you would be one to drink… On a school night no less." A dark, silky voice called from behind her. Elena's hair stood up on her neck. She knew who that voice belonged to, and it both thrilled her, and made her want to run for the hills all at the same time.

"Damon." She said as she turned around. "What are you doing in Mystic Falls? I thought you left with, whats her name… Kathrine?" She tilted her head. Damon was a Senior when she was a Freshman. He slept with just about everyone who had female legs that is, until the end of his senior year and he started dating the school bitch, Kathrine Pierce.

"Kathrine is nothing." He said sharply, with a bit of a bite to his words. Elena noticed his eyes go a shade darker when Kathrine was brought up, she wanted to ask about it, but she knew Damon had a temper and she was not about to let him ruin her night.

"Well, it was good to see you. I must be off, back to my friends." She nodded to the group of people who were watching her interaction with Damon. Stefan had his hate face on as he glared at his brother.

"That's fine, I will let you get back to them. Listen, can I take you to dinner tomorrow night?" He said forwardly. Elena was taken aback. Back in high school he hardly talked to her. Aside from the occasional teasing her threw at her when she dated Stefan back when she was a junior, she didn't really know him. She bit her tongue, looking at her friends, then back at him.

"Who am I to pass on a free dinner." She smirked, then grabbed her drink. "Goodnight, Damon."

"Goodnight…Elena." He said as she slipped past him and headed back to her friends. Damon sat at the bar, ordering himself a bourbon, trying to figure out what just possessed him to ask out the good girl of Mystic Falls.

* * *

 ***There you have it! Chapter One! It was so hard to find a spot to stop writing, but I finally found it, and I think it was a good place! I am sorry that there is not much Damon and Elena interaction, next chapter will contain a lot of D &E. So, I hope you are all ready for that! Please remember to leave a review! They make me super happy! Tata for now! Xoxo***


	3. Chapter 2

***Alright, it has been a while, but I have reasons… My father passed away suddenly a few weeks ago, and I just didn't have the energy to write. For that I am sorry. So, without further ado, a new chapter.***

"What did my brother want?" Stefan took a sip of his beer, still stabbing daggers with his eyes into his brothers back. Elena shrugged, she knew Stefan had a complicated relationship with his brother, but she frowned when she saw just the pure hatred that flew from Stefan's brown eyes.

"It was nothing. He just said hi, asked how I was, and that was it. Will you please just relax? Geeze." She lied. It pained her to lie to one of the closest people in her circle, but it had to be done. She lied to him and her other friends many times before. She and Stefan dated when she was in high school. They were the "IT" couple. Everyone believed in them and knew they would be together for ever. She thought that too… Until her birthday that is…..

 _*Flash Back….*_

 _Elena flew from the steps of the Salvatore house, tears flowing quickly from her eyes. "HOW COULD HE!" She screamed loudly as she reached the end of the drive way. They had prom in a few weeks, she was busy working hard at her grades, they were graduating… She had to admit that she didn't spend much time with Stefan, but he said that he understood. He said that he would wait for the final exams to finish._

 _No, they hadn't had sex yet either, she just didn't feel like she was ready yet. Yes, she loved him, and believed he was the one, but she knew she needed to feel fully ready. He said that he understood. So, imagine her surprise when she came over to plan a date with him, and finally give him her virginity to find him banging some other girl in the middle of the living room. She collapsed against a tree and started crying even harder._

" _Elena?" She heard a voice call out to her. She looked up, her eyes meeting the bright blue ones of Stefan's older brother, Damon._

" _Damon…. What are you doing home?" He was off at college with Katherine, and was hardly ever home any more._

" _Katherine is on vacation with her family… So I thought I would come home for a few days…" He got closer to her and saw her eyes red and puffy. "Elena... Are you okay?" He moved and sat next to her._

" _No.. Your stupid fucking brother! I have been so busy with studying for finals, and getting everything ready for UVA… I told him that I needed a few days to myself. He said that was fine…Today I got off work early and he told me that he was going to be with Matt after school, so I came over to surprise him with a nice dinner… and He… He is in the living room…. Plowing his…junk into some slut!" She started crying all over again. "I knew I should have had sex with him a year ago... I just… I just wasn't ready yet…" She covered her eyes with her hands._

 _Damon couldn't explain the feelings he was feeling in his body. Listening to Elena he suddenly felt this desire to run inside his house and beat his brother to a pulp. Only he knew that it wouldn't help Elena one bit. So, he did the next best thing, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him. "Hey… Its okay… You deserve someone so much better than him. I don't understand how he could hurt you like that. I am so sorry, Elena. But… I am here for you. You shouldn't have to feel like you needed to give something so important up. He never should have pushed you into that… You need to be with someone who respects you, and loves you." He held her tighter. "Forget about Stefan. He doesn't deserve you, at all. You deserve so much better than that piece of trash." He felt so angry at his brother. How could he hurt someone as perfect as Elena?_

" _Thank you Damon…" She whispered as she let him hold her. They stayed like that a few hours, just enjoying being in the arms of someone warm…_

 _*End Flash Back*_

Elena and Damon became friends after that night. Only they were more like secret friends. Damon had Katherine, and Elena had her grades. Stefan tried to win her back, but she took Damon's advice to heart and moved on. It turned out that they were better at being friends. She kept her relationship and her growing feelings for Damon a secret from everyone, even herself. It wasn't until Christmas of her junior year at UVA did she realize that she was in love with him….

 _*Flash Back*_

 _Elena cleaned up the few dishes in her small kitchen. She wanted to go home for the holidays but Alaric planned this huge trip for Jenna, and Jeremy was staying with her girlfriend's family, so she was alone._

" _Lena?" A voice called out from the living room. Elena felt her heart pick up, and her mouth dry. She set the dish down and turned the corner. She was greeted with the dopey smile that was only meant for her. She rushed over and wrapped her arms around the man's waist._

" _Damon…" She breathed with a happy and content smile. Damon felt the smile against his chest as he buried his face in her hair, taking in the smell of her honey scented shampoo._

" _Merry Christmas, baby girl." He picked her up and twirled her around, causing her to giggle like crazy. 'I love that sound…' Damon thought to himself. He felt his heart broke as he knew what he was about to tell her. "Lena… We need to talk…" He sat them down on the couch. Her heart skipped a few beats. "Katherine knows about our friendship, and while I tried to explain that it was just a friendship… She doesn't believe us… I really hate to do this… But…. We need to call our friendship off." He looked down at the hands he held in his, trying to remember the feeling of her hands in his._

 _Elena felt her heart burst into more than a million pieces. "Her? You are picking her over me?" She cried. "I… I am your best friend. I…" She felt the tears fall. "You are all I have…" She whispered, looking down at their hands as she slowly pulled hers from his. "Get out…" She whispered._

" _Lena…" He reached for her…_

" _No… GET OUT!" She screamed. He nodded sadly and left… He felt like his heart was cracking. He loved her…_

 _Elena cried for days, "I love you…" She would whisper over and over again… Trying to feel better, only the feeling of normalcy never came._

 _*End Flash Back*_

Elena left the Grill before everyone else. She took a step outside and took a deep breath. She was going over just the few words that Damon had said to her, and she tried to figure out what would possess her to agree to dinner. They hadn't seen each other in two years. In those two years she changed more than she thought she could, just to get over him, and move on from a relationship that would never happen.

"What are you thinking about?" Damon whispered from behind her. He leaned against the wall and had his arms crossed across his chest. Elena turned and looked at him with a smirk.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She laughed a little. "Actually, I am trying to figure out how I got to where I am…" She shrugged and started down the side walk towards her house. Damon moved quick to walk with her. "You don't need to walk with me…"

"Are you kidding?" He scoffed. "There is no way in hell that I will let you walk home alone." He stepped closer to her. Elena could feel her body respond to his movements. She felt her heart break even more.

"Won't Katherine be upset to know that you are with me?" She rolled her eyes a little.

"Katherine and I are over." He said flatly. Elena's eyes perked up. "I ended it a few months ago… Apparently I am only good for my money." He shrugged. Elena looked up at him.

"Oh, Damon, I am so sorry. I know how much you loved her." She moved her eyes back down to the floor as they got closer to her house.

"Trust me when I say I never really loved her…" He looked at his feet sadly. Elena was the only girl her really did love, and he couldn't really understand the feeling. It was something he never felt before, even with Katherine.

When they reached her door she sighed. "Well, thank you for walking me home…Even though it is not that far from the Grill, I am still thankful." She bit down on her lower lip.

"Fuck it…" Damon groaned and he crushed his lips against hers….

 ***Well, here we are… I know there was a lot of stuff in here, and so on. I was thinking of doing a few chapters from Elena's POV, maybe even Damon's too. Let me know what you want to see! Anyway, remember to review! Thank! Tata for now! Xoxoxo***


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